Back to School is here. If you have children between the ages of 5-18 then you know what an important season it is. My sister, Sue, is a private tutor in Pennsylvania, and in this blog we’ve decided to share some of our knowledge and experience regarding the connection between eating nutritiously and succeeding in school.
Eating healthfully increases the probability that your school aged son or daughter will stay alert in the classroom and remain strong mentally through a long busy day. By eating simple fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and dairy foods your school aged child can still be focused at homework time or an evening tutoring session.
Healthy foods at breakfast (and throughout the day) stay with you longer, and decrease the likelihood of losing focus because of a growling stomach. Try these breakfast alternatives: cheese toast & melon; oat cereal with cut up apples and walnuts + yogurt; a scrambled egg wrap on a tortilla + grapes; a whole wheat toaster waffle with turkey sausage + canned peaches.
Supermarkets are stocked with nutritious/portable items that can be carried in lunchboxes , backpacks, and even student’s pockets. Nature also makes some of its foods portable. Take advantage of the fact that bananas come in ‘nature’s wrapper’ and there are plenty of healthy ‘fast foods’ such as almonds, raisins or craisins, string cheese, vanilla Greek yogurt, oat/nut energy bars, and apples.
After school and/or before sports and other activities a half sandwich + cherry tomatoes, baggie of carrots with peanut butter to dip, baggie of cucumbers with hummus to dip, or 1% chocolate milk + whole grain crackers will provide your child with more energy to “survive” a demanding soccer or baseball practice . Student athletes will tell you how import this is!
Family dinner can be prepared in advance and scheduled to allow for quality homework time for school aged students. If necessary middle and high school students can serve themselves a bowlful of a leftover meal before beginning an evening activity. Possible meals for family member to eat at different times of the afternoon/evening include chili con carne with whole grain crackers + applesauce for dessert; BBQ chicken made in a crock pot or baked in the oven + baked sweet potato fries + watermelon for dessert; thin crust pizza with vegetables & Mozzarella cheese + lettuce/carrots salad + fruit salad for dessert.
Take the leap to healthier eating for your students in the family and for everyone. My website has a lot of handy information and inspiration. Healthier eating is a huge key to lifelong success!
How will you help your children put healthier eating in action?